Surveillance Room Shift Checklist

	A) Arrive a few minutes early for shift turnover.
	B) Clock in and sign in.
	C) The Supervisor coming in is to be briefed by the outgoing Supervisor.
	D) Start the Daily Shift Report (DSR).
	E) Check the Shift Briefing and Pass-on Log for new information, orders, etc.
	F) Investigator checks that all the VCRs are recording properly. He also checks to see that the previous shift’s Tape/Monitor log shows current coverage on all monitors.
	G) Manually check the PTZ cameras for the wheels and all other constant-coverage areas. Ensure positioning and focus, etc., are correct and usable for a review.
	H) Supervisor and Investigators read through the previous shift’s DSR, to ensure they know what is happening on the casino floor.
	I) Check for any new alerts from local law enforcement and/or other casinos.
	J) Set up cameras and monitors for any special surveillance or Close Watch on your shift.
	K) Pull and set up the tapes for next shift, ensuring they are all rewound and in correct order.
	L) Set up the Tape/Monitor Log for your shift.
	M) Tape Change: both operators (unless traffic makes it impractical) do the change-over together
	N) When the tapes are changed, check the following: All tapes have been changed. All VCRs are recording at the correct speed and channel.
	O) Check every hour to see that all VCRs are still recording properly.
	P) Ensure all the tapes are fully rewound and put away.
	Q) Ensure DSR and Monitor Log are kept current; monitor time is not wasted on dead games or inactive areas.
	R) Before the relief operators arrive, police up the Surveillance Room and break area.
	S) At the end of the shift, brief the incoming operators.
	T) Clock out.

During Your Shift:

1. Check approximately every hour to see that all the VCRs are recording properly.

2. All routine traffic and reviews are to be handled by the Investigator, with assistance as needed by the Supervisor, who has the final word on any decision inside the Surveillance Room.

3. Reports (Procedure Violations or Incident Reports) are handled by the Supervisor.

4. Major situations from any area of the casino are to be handled by the Supervisor. This includes advantage players, determinations of theft or cheating by staff or players, working with Security or outside agencies such as Gaming Control or local law enforcement, or any other situation that should not be interrupted by routine traffic and routine “dealer error” and “player claim” reviews.

5. When the Investigator goes on break, the Supervisor handles all traffic.

6. Any floor surveillance is to be done by the Supervisor or at his specific direction. When the Supervisor leaves the room for more than a few moments for a restroom or smoke break, he takes a cell phone, radio or pager with him, in case a “supervisor” type situation should come up, or his aid is needed in the room.

7. Close Watch operations are handled by the Supervisor or as assigned by the Director; the other Investigator on the shift handles all traffic while a Close Watch is in progress.

8. Log all calls into and out of Surveillance Room, excepting personal calls in. Use judgment on duplicate calls from Soft Count, Security, etc.

9. Cooperate with Casino Shift Manager, Security Supervisors, Slot Department and Cage as needed, without compromising coverage of needed areas or taking on tasks that are not really our job at the expense of our proper work.

10. When not actively engaged in other work or handling calls, Investigators continually observe all areas: Pits, Cage, Count Rooms, Slots, Drop teams, etc.

11. Make note of any situation that needs to be turned over to the next shift, so that it isn’t forgotten. This includes equipment difficulties, ongoing situations in the casino, possible advantage players or teams, changes in the casino, or special surveillance taping that needs to continue in the next shift.

Copyright © 1999, 2002 by Jim Goding. All rights reserved. Duplication in any form, electronic or otherwise, without the express written permission of the author is forbidden, is a violation of the proprietary rights of the author and is actionable under law. This article may be purchased for a nominal fee by clicking on the following link.

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